The surprise guest

Garrick barged into the guest room and found Connor getting dressed in front of a mirror. He was trying to fix his neck tie and it wasn't really going well. Connor turned back and saw Garrick at the door.

"Oh, you are here… good, help me fix this stupid tie," he requested.

"With all pleasure," Garrick muttered in a deep angry voice and before Connor could sense it, he rushed to him and grabbed him by the collar.

"Oh… No! No! No man!!" Connor yelled, but it was too late.

Garrick lifted him up and threw him to the mirror, crashing the object to pieces. "How does that feel?" he asked in a hoarse voice and then he picked him up again by the color and lifted him till his feet were in the air.

"Ouch!!! What have I done now? I spent so much time dressing up and now you would ruin everything," he yelled.

"You mean like you were ruining the sheets while I was gone? Tell me, is it why you didn't want to wake me till now? You didn't want me back, right?" Garrick growled.

Before Connor could respond, Garrick sent him crashing into the wall, cracking a space open in the wall. "Oh goddamn shit, you would bring down the building with your rage!!" Connor yelled as he stood up and bent his aching back.

"You wanted to take my place, didn't you? Isn't it why you refused to wake me up? You wanted my family as yours; you thought you could replace me in their lives? You are not Garrick Verne Argent!!!" Garrick roared.

"Okay, easy there big guy… I have no idea what you are talking about," Connor retorted as he tried to straighten his cloth.

"Really? Don't you? You thought I wouldn't find out? Well, Clarisse just told me that while I was gone, you had Claire all to yourself. Tell me, did you always want her?" Garrick asked with a clenched fist.

The vampire lord was aching to grab Connor and toss him off the window to the floor. He could feel the rage run through his veins, the urge to snap Connor's neck and pull his tongue out from underneath,

"That is not true, Garrick… just hear me out!" Connor yelled.

"So it is a lie huh? You think I can't tell when a person lies to me? Clarisse has no reason to lie against you!" Garrick insisted while pointing to Connor.

"I never said she lied, but it is not the way you are making it seem. It just kind of happened while we spent time together taking care of Clarisse, we were both lonely and it happened so quickly. Clarisse was just five years old when it happened and our relationship only lasted for two years before we realized that we weren't meant for each other. Since then we have only been friends. I never tried to take your place, even when I was together with Claire, you were all that she thought about!!" Connor explained.

Garrick held himself together as his breathing paced, he was wearing that devilish look on his face, green veins spread across his face with his fangs elongated, seeking to spill blood.

"You have to believe me, Garrick. I didn't for one day think I could replace you. You of all people know that I am not really good with children, and I haven't had many relationships in a while because I don't have interests in things like that. I only pick interest in things that last forever, which is why I am addicted to the library, doing something that won't go away anytime soon; reading books." Connor added in an appealing voice.

Of course, aside from being honest, he didn't want the castle painted red with his blood. This was Garrick Verne he was dealing with, centuries of friendship wouldn't matter when Garrick gets mad. He could break all his bones and wait for him to heal just to do it all over again.

He was as ruthless as they say when it comes to dealing with people that wronged him. Connor knew better than to be in his bad books. The fear of Garrick was part of the reason why his relationship with Claire didn't work. They had only gotten into the relationship out of boredom and infatuation. Spending so much time together made them believe that they were compatible, but Claire was only trying to see Garrick in him, which Connor didn't approve of.

Connor knew that no matter how much he tried, all she would think of was him as a replacement for Garrick, and he also felt like he was betraying his friend.

Garrick sighed and bowed his head, and then he walked towards Connor slowly. Connor's heart was racing as the Vampire lord approached him, the last of the Verne family.

Connor felt that Garrick would hurt him again, but to his surprise, when Garrick arrived, the vampire lord just arranged his shirt and put his tie in place.

"You are right," he began in a calm voice. "I am sorry about my reaction, I lost my temper without thinking straight, I shouldn't have attacked you like that."

Connor furrowed his eyes in disbelief. Was Garrick Verne apologizing to him? Garrick never apologizes even if he was wrong and he knew it, he always had this pride and arrogance towing above him. What the hell had happened to him?

Garrick turned away and took two steps from Connor. "Forgive me man, I was gone and so it is natural for her to be with someone else, not like I expected her to wait for me as I had no plans of coming back till she no longer existed. I had no right to get mad at you for being with her, no matter what."

"It is fine, Garrick, I get that you love her and so it wasn't easy hearing that she was with someone else. If I wasn't the one in question, I am pretty sure that you would have ripped their head off, so I am lucky to be alive," Connor said and smiled.

Garrick chuckled and turned back to face him. "Yeah, you are damn lucky to take a few hits and still be conscious. But I must warn you, whatever happened between you two was in the past, if you even as much as look in her direction now, I would tear your gullet out and watch you die over and over again," he warned,

The smile on Connor's face disappeared and he nodded. "Of course, I wouldn't even think of it," he replied.

Garrick smiled and then dusted Connor's suit. "You could afford a decent suit, I am impressed," he said and tapped him on the shoulder, before he turned around and walked away.

Connor shook his head and turned to the shattered mirror. "Now I have to replace that, good thing he pays the bill."

** * * * * * * * * *

"You are beautiful," Clarisse heard Chase whisper as they danced slowly to the music.

She blushed and muttered a thank you, maybe not audible enough for a human to hear but he was a vampire so it sure wasn't a problem.

"So, I don't know if you would like to…" Chase paused as one of the waiters walked to them; the lady handed a piece of paper to Clarisse.

Clarisse had to stop the dance so as to read the paper, she unfolded it and found a note written in ink, it read…

"I am waiting outside for you; the guards wouldn't let me into the house. Please be here in a jiffy, I miss you so much."

Clarisse didn't want to believe that it was who she thought it would be, she didn't know anyone else that could come looking for her with such text, except the one person who used to not see her weeks ago and now suddenly he is obsessed with her. But if he was really here, then it wouldn't be good for her, he could get hurt!!

"Um… excuse me, I am sorry but I need to attend to this," Clarisse said immediately. Before Chase could approve of it, she turned around and ran off.

She ran all the way to the main door, not minding that she was wearing a heavy gown. She was scared of what would happen if her surprise guest saw something that he shouldn't, he was definitely going to get hurt.

The guards opened the door on arrival and Clarisse rushed out, she froze when she saw Abraham standing in front of the house, with his back to her. What the hell was he doing here? Especially today of all days!!

To be continued!!